LOS ANGELES — A few minutes before a rehearsal for
The Millers, the season’s No. 1 new comedy, Will Arnett was spotted taking a smoking break
with the episode’s guest star, Tommy Chong.

A 1970s staple best-known for stoner bits might seem an odd intruder on a mainstream sitcom with
characters whose idea of cutting loose is having a second glass of white zinfandel after a meatloaf
dinner. In many ways, though, Chong’s appearance fits snugly into the show’s formula — which
apparently is the lack of any formula.

The series, which revolves around a recently separated couple (Beau Bridges and Margo
Martindale) who move in with different adult children (Arnett and Jayma Mays), has an
everything-and-the-kitchen-sink philosophy. The dialogue transitions from smart zingers to bathroom
humor at the drop of a whoopee cushion.

If you find yourself groaning over a 60-something mother unable to control her flatulence, you
can be pretty certain you’ll be chuckling a few minutes later at her clever ability to manipulate
her son.

“There’s a lot of serious stuff going on these days, and we’re kind of silly,” said Bridges,
heaping praise on show creator Greg Garcia and director James Burrows, the Steven Spielberg of the
sitcom world. “They know how to do their jobs. There’s lots of confidence all around.”

The main reason for the show’s success is the time slot.

The sitcom has the good fortune of being in the 8:30 p.m. slot — between
The Big Bang Theory and
Two and a Half Men.

“
Big Bang has been a huge help to us, because they’ve gotten people to sample us,” Garcia
said. “I’d love it if the network keeps us behind them for five or six years before letting us fly
out on our own.”

Garcia knows all too well about the perils of leaving the nest too soon. His NBC series
My Name Is Earl premiered in 2005 on Thursdays, the same night as
Will & Grace,
The Office and
ER. The next year, it was put in the leadoff position — and almost immediately began to
lose viewers.

The show was canceled after four seasons.

Raising Hope, which he also created, made its debut after
Glee in 2010, when that show was a pop-culture phenomenon for Fox. The next season,
Hope was forced to lead off Wednesday programming — a position that it clearly wasn’t
ready to handle. It’s still on the air but on Friday nights, known in the business as the “
graveyard shift.”

Garcia seemed confident that CBS would keep his latest offering “protected” for a longer period,
especially because the network owns the show.

“I understand people have to move things around,” he said. “I’m absolutely fine with whatever
they think is best.”

For now, J.B. Smoove, who plays the wisecracking best friend to Arnett’s character, is just
relishing the moment.

“We got dealt a great hand,” said Smoove, previously known for his work on
Curb Your Enthusiasm. “They’ve set us up real nice. All you’ve got to do now is hit the
ball.”